Volunteering is an entrenched value in Australian society. It has been well-acknowledged that volunteering can bring meaning and purpose to peoples’ lives, as well as helping increase their self-esteem and well-being. In this feature, we showcase Dayang Juana, one of Centacare’s longest-serving volunteers.

Dayang became a volunteer at Centacare in 2017, after she retired from the workplace.

“Firstly, I went on Google and looked for some courses. I looked for the funded courses. And then I thought about this free course, volunteering, helping teach people from overseas who do not have an English background. And I was interested to do it,” she said.

“I looked at Centacare’s website to see what I could do for myself. I looked for the volunteer section. I became interested in volunteering here to fill my time, and I then did the volunteer training course,” she further elaborated.

Dayang is very appreciative of Centacare for allowing her to volunteer.

“I’m very happy that Centacare allows me to come here for so many years – since 2017. I very much appreciate that. I’m very thankful for Centacare to let me continue my volunteering,” she said.

And she is full of praise for the environment that Centacare has created.

“Centacare is a great work environment, and everyone is very friendly and helpful. The managers and the teachers help me and give me confidence. They show me what to do. I’m very appreciative of that,” she said.

In her time volunteering at Centacare, Dayang has noticed some significant personal growth.

“Centacare has been good for me. I haven’t just helped the students, I’ve improved myself – my personality, to be more confident in front of people,” she said. “My confidence is high. I don’t feel shy anymore. I can talk to different people and can explain things better.”

Dayang would love to see more people volunteering at Centacare.

“I hope more new volunteers will come and volunteer at Centacare. We need more volunteers here at Centacare. It doesn’t matter if they don’t have experience, because by doing the volunteering here, they will get experience helping students in class,” she said.

When quizzed about what advice she would give to someone who was thinking about volunteering, Dayang responded with “just give it a go.”

“All you need is ‘can-do’ attitude, and have fun,” she said. “The “can-do” attitude is very important. It opens your heart to help people, not just for yourself. That’s how you give back to the community.”

By volunteering with Centacare, people have the opportunity make a positive impact in the local community. Centacare’s volunteers play a crucial role in helping the organisation achieve its mission.